<div id="readability-page-1"><div> <h2>Key Points</h2><ul><li>Nuclear start-up Oklo received key government approvals from the Department of Energy for its Aurora Powerhouse design.</li><li>Oklo ultimately needs NRC commercial approval for its Aurora Powerhouses.</li><li>Because the DoE and NRC collaborate on approvals, this DoE approval means NRC approval is more likely.</li><li>10 stocks we like better than Oklo ›</li></ul>A month ago, nuclear stock Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) seemed to have stalled out. The small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) start-up was stuck waiting on critical government approvals to move forward with its business plans.But the company just announced it's received key government approvals across all three of its major initiatives. You'd think Oklo's share price would soar on the news, but it plummeted instead. Oklo stock is down 20% since the announcement, and it's down more than 70% from its 2025 highs:Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an &#34;Indispensable Monopoly&#34; providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »Here's why Wall Street wasn't impressed by Oklo's big wins, and what the market seems to be missing.<h2>Why Oklo stock is a win</h2>Oklo announced three new regulatory approvals on March 17, representing regulatory progress on all of its major initiatives.<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2MzkyNy9nZXR0eWltYWdlcy00Njk3NTM0OTgtMTIwMHg4MDAtNWIyZGY3OS5qcGcmdz03MDA?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="466" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2MzkyNy9nZXR0eWltYWdlcy00Njk3NTM0OTgtMTIwMHg4MDAtNWIyZGY3OS5qcGcmdz03MDA"/>Image source: Getty Images. The first was from the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), approving the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for Oklo Subsidiary Atomic Alchemy's Groves Isotopes Test Reactor in Texas. The approval was granted as part of the DoE's Reactor Pilot Program (RPP), an initiative by the Trump administration to rapidly develop multiple nuclear power projects this year. The facility will focus on creating a reliable domestic supply of nuclear isotopes for multiple industries.The second approval was Oklo's first-ever approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is separate from the DoE. It granted a materials license for Atomic Alchemy to &#34;receive, possess, use, store, and conduct ... activities involving&#34; nuclear isotopes Radium-266, Cobalt-60, and Americium-241. Finally, Oklo's flagship Idaho Aurora Powerhouse project received NSDA approval by the DoE. This locks in the safety and regulatory framework of the project. The next step, a Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis from the DoE, will allow Oklo to move forward with final design and construction of the facility.<h2>What the market is missing about Oklo</h2>While these approvals are important, what Oklo really needs is approval from the NRC for its Aurora Powerhouses to operate commercially. Oklo's business model for its entire power generation unit hinges on that one approval, which is why these other approvals didn't move the needle. But these DoE approvals make ultimate NRC approval more likely in the long run.<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2MzkyNy9nZXR0eWltYWdlcy0xNDUxMzcyNjU5LTEyMDB4Nzk5LTc3OWY4NjQuanBnJnc9NzAw?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="466" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2MzkyNy9nZXR0eWltYWdlcy0xNDUxMzcyNjU5LTEyMDB4Nzk5LTc3OWY4NjQuanBnJnc9NzAw"/>Image source: Getty Images. Although the DoE and NRC are separate entities, they've been sharing technical expertise and resources since 2019. And in November, they announced they would start coordinating with one another on the reviews of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel technologies like those of Oklo and Atomic Alchemy. While the extent of the collaboration isn't specified, the NRC has agreed to provide &#34;an expedited pathway to approve advanced reactor designs that have been authorized and tested by DoE.&#34; That means that every step toward DoE approval is also a step toward NRC approval, which should reassure Oklo investors.Even with these approvals, Oklo is still a highly speculative and risky pre-commercial stock, and investors should proceed with caution. But at its current price of below $50 per share, and with this new regulatory step forward, Oklo's stock is looking a lot more attractive than it was last month.<h2>Should you buy stock in Oklo right now?</h2> Before you buy stock in Oklo, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Oklo wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $532,066!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,087,496!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 926% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&amp;P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 7, 2026. John Bromels has positions in Oklo. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. </div></div>

OKLO

OKLL

Nuclear start-up Oklo received key approvals from the Department of Energy for its Aurora Powerhouse design, but its stock has fallen 20% since the announcement. The approvals include a Nuclear Safety Design Agreement and a materials license from the NRC. Despite these advancements, the market remains cautious as Oklo still requires NRC commercial approval for its powerhouses. Analysts suggest that while the recent approvals are positive, Oklo remains a speculative investment, and other stocks may offer better returns.

Nuclear Start-up Oklo Just Scored Key Regulatory Approvals. Why Hasn't the Stock Gone Up?